Spring chair construction



Nov. 10, 1953 P. BARKER 2,553,555

SPRING CHAIR CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 31, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 7 INVENTOR.

Pau/ L. fiarker BY Attorneqs.

Nov. 10, 1953 P. L. BARKER SPRING CHAIR CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-$heet 2 Filed Jan. 31 1951 INVENTOR. Pau/ L Barker Patented Nov. 10, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a chair construction and more particularly to a childs chair.

It is an object of this invention to produce a chair which is of economical but very rigid construction and which provides the type of resilient support which children of a tender age enjoy.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the chair of this invention.

Fig. -2 is a side elevation of the chair of this invention.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the various parts of the chair in positions they assume when the chair is occupied by a child.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the lines 44 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along the lines 5-5 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially along the lines 66 in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to Fig. 1, the chair of this invention generally comprises a pair of side frames I and H and a seat member generally referenced l2. Side frames Ill and H are formed of a spring material such as strips of spring steel and are generally S-shaped. Each side frame has generally horizontally extending top, bottom and intermediate runs l4, l and I6, respectively. The bottom run I5 has its free end I! at the front side of the chair and the top run M has its free end it at the rear side of the chain An integral spring portion 19 connects the top run M with the intermediate run it, and another integral spring portion 20 connects the intermediate run It with the bottom run l5. Bottom run I5 is fashioned with downwardly offset portions 2! and 22 at the front and rear ends thereof, which offset portions serve as ground-engaging members. The bottom runs [5 are spaced apart in fixed parallel relation by a pair of intersecting straps 23 which are riveted at their ends to the side frames as at 24 and which are riveted together as at 25. Bottom runs and straps 23 cooperate to form a rigid base for the chair.

The seat l2 comprises a back member 26 and a bottom member 2'! both of which are preferably formed as stampings. Back 26 is fashioned with a peripheral reinforcing flange 2B and bottom 21 is likewise formed with a peripheral reinforcing flange 29. Back member 26 and bottom member 21 are connected together as at 30 such that these members are permitted to pivot relative to each other to at least a limited extent. The pivotal connection between members 26 and 21 is preferably of the type illustrated in Fig. 6. A pair of spaced screws 3| extend through the lower edge portion of back member 26 and through the peripheral flange 29 at the rear edge of seat member 21. A grommet 32 formed of a resilient compressible material such as rubber surrounds the shank of screw 3| and is interposed between the back member 25 and the peripheral flange 29. Grommet 32 serves to space members 26 and 2'? apart. A look nut engages the threaded portion of screw 3! to hold members 26 and 2'! in spaced relation with the grommet 32 compressed therebetween. It will be noted that with this arrangement, members 26 and 2i are free to pivot to a limited extent relative to each other.

Adjacent the rear end of each top run Hi there is fixed as by a. rivet 34 a right angle bracket 35 having a downwardly depending leg 3'6. A screw 37 extends through the leg 35 of bracket 35 and through the peripheral flange 23 on back member 26 such that the back member is pivotally supported at each side on the top runs id. A look nut 39 is engaged with the threaded end of screw 3'1. Lock nut 39 is tightened sufficiently to hold back member 26 assembled with bracket 35 but is not tightened to the extent that flange 28 is clamped tightly against leg 36 of bracket 35. Bottom 2! is similarly pivotally connected with the intermediate run it by a right angle bracket 40 fixed on run 56 as by a rivet ll and connected with the peripheral flange 29 of bottom 21 by a screw 42 and a lock nut 43. These peripheral connections are preferably arranged such that back member 25 is pivotally supported at each side adjacent its upper end on run it and bottom 2! is pivotally supported at each side adjacent the forward end on run [6.

The side frames Ill and I! are exceedingly resilient in a vertical direction and, when a child is seated in a somewhat central position on seat 12, these side frames are distorted to the contour illustrated in Fig. 3. Under the childs weight the integral spring portion 25 of each side frame is deflected forwardly and the intermediate run [6 of each frame is deflected downwardly at its front end. At the same time, the integral spring portion I9 is bowed to an extent greater than its normal contour (Fig. l) and the top run I4 of each frame is deflected downwardly and forwardly to pivot back member 26 slightly forwardly relative to bottom member 27.

Because of the pivotal connections at 35 and at brackets 35 and 40, the seat [2 offers little or no resistance to the free vertical flexing of the side frames. If the child moves such that its weight is shifted rearwardly from the central position, then it is obvious that a greater portion of the childs weight would be carried by brackets 35, and top run I would be flexed downwardly a greater extent at its rear end. At the same time, back member 26 would be pivoted forwardly to an extent greater than that shown in Fig. 3. On the other hand, if the child shifts its weight forwardly from the central position, the intermediate run 16 would be flexed downwardly to a greater extent at its front end, and top run I4 would be shifted forwardly to an extent greater than that shown in Fig. 3. In each instance thevpivotally; sup;- ported and pivotally connected back and bottom portions of seat I2 offer little or no resistance to the flexing of the side frames, ,andthe seat I2 is thereby supported in a very resilient manner.

The ease with which the side frames may be flexed is such that if the child'shifts its weight back and forth, a rockingmovement, similar. to that of a rocking chair, may be imparted to seat l2. It will be observed, however, that the seatlZ is always disposed with the confines of thebase formed by runs I5 and straps 23, and the chair is therefore very stable.

I claim:

1. A chair comprising a pair of upright, S-'- shaped springs formed of a spring material and resilient in a vertical direction, a seat member comprising a back member and a bottom member, said back member being pivotally connected at each side thereof with an upper rear portion of each of said side frames, said bottom member being pivotally connected at each side thereof with a front portion of each of said frames intermediate the upper and lower ends of said frames, means pivotally connecting the rear edge portion of said bottom member with the adjacent bottom edge portion of said back member, said last mentioned means comprising studs passing through said adjacent edge portions and securing ,said back member to said bottom member, and resilient spacing members surrounding said studs and disposed between said adjacent edge portions, said resilient members. normally spacing said edge portions apart.

2; The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said resilientspacing members comprise rubber grommets.

PAUL L. BARKER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,978,024 Lorenz Oct. 23, 1934 2,273,980 Moody Feb. 24, 1942 2,274,585 Bishop Feb. 24, 1942 2,332,619 Walker Oct. 26, 1943 2,454,912 Cunningham Nov; 30, 1948 2,535,138 Johnson Dec.- 26, ,1950 2,567,418 Barker Sept. 11, 1951 

